Les Deux Magots, a café from Paris, opens a branch in SP – 09/29/2023 – Restaurants

One of the most traditional cafés in Paris, in operation since 1884, Les Deux Magots has just arrived in São Paulo. The French house opened its doors in a soft opening system in Jardins with already waiting lines.

The address, now a tourist spot in France, became known as a bohemian haunt for writers and artists in the last century, frequented by names such as Oscar Wilde, Simone de Beauvoir, Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso.

The São Paulo branch, which officially opens on October 17th, maintains features of the original house, such as the dark green decoration, the small tables on the balcony with chairs facing the street and two statues of wizards at the entrance. Most of the recipes on the menu are the same.

The literary essence is also preserved: books, especially by French authors, are available to customers to read on site. The Brazilian touch appears in the ferns and other plants spread throughout the charming room.

“It’s Deux Magots tropicalized”, says Frédéric Renaut, a Frenchman who has lived in Brazil for 17 years. He imported the brand alongside partners Alexandre Marino and Antonio Assumpção.

Another freedom they had was in designing the bar’s drinks menu, with more local inspirations — everything had to be approved by the head office.

The trio of partners explains that it took three years from the conception of the idea to convincing the French owners that Brazil was a market to be invested in — there was a lot of prejudice, they say —, in addition to the search for the ideal property.

This is the first unit in Latin America. There is a branch in Japan and another recently opened in Saudi Arabia.

In addition to its cultural importance, the choice to bring the brand to the menu, which deviates from refined cuisine and includes options such as grilled fish and meat, was an important factor. “It’s a simple food that should please Brazilians,” says Renaut.

Here, breakfast is popular. It is served until 11:30 am on weekdays and until 12:30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. After this time, there are dishes for lunch and dinner.

Among the classics on the menu, supervised by French chef Pascal Valero, are the croque-monsieur, a sandwich with ham and cheese, served with salad for R$41, the croque-madame, made with ham, cheese and fried egg (R$ 46 with salad) and the croissant, which can be tried with butter and homemade jam (R$ 16) or with ham and cheese (R$ 19). The sweets of the day, served on a cart, are also a highlight.

For now, to have lunch or dinner at the restaurant, reservations are required.